A late-night drive through a hospital parking lot turned tragic in southeast Houston on Wednesday when a 66-year-old man suffered an apparent medical emergency behind the wheel and later died at the hospital.
Houston police said the man was driving through the private parking lot at Memorial Hermann Southeast when he experienced a medical issue and lost control of his SUV, striking several parked cars. He was taken inside the hospital, where staff pronounced him dead. His name has not been released while the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences works to notify his family.
Police say driver collapsed behind the wheel
According to the Houston Police Department, the crash happened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The driver of a blue Ford Expedition appeared to suffer a medical emergency and lost control of the vehicle, which then hit a silver GMC Sierra, a black Chevrolet Equinox and a white GMC Sierra. All three vehicles were parked and unoccupied.
Officers said the 66-year-old driver was taken into the hospital’s emergency center, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Investigation still underway
A news release from the Houston Police Department notes that the investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone who was in the parking lot around the time of the crash, or who may have video from the area, to contact the HPD Office of Community Affairs at 713-308-3200.
Medical emergencies and older drivers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that medical conditions and some medications can raise the risk of crashes as people age, and that crash-related death rates increase among older adults. The agency recommends that older drivers, their caregivers and health care providers talk openly about driving safety and any medication side effects that might affect someone’s ability to drive.
Where this happened
The crash occurred in the private parking lot at Memorial Hermann Southeast, located at 11800 Astoria Boulevard in southeast Houston. Memorial Hermann lists a 24-hour emergency center at that address and says the campus can accept both walk-in patients and those arriving by ambulance.
